I'm totally frustrated. I was looking forward to these guys playing at the Olympics, especially after they both doing very well recently.

Looks like Paes going with Stepanek was the issue here.
I distinctly remember Paes saying at the time "Mahesh and I can recreate our magic anytime we want, but I wanted to stay fresh in the meantime". Sounds fine then but looks like there was something else going on there.

I know these guys have been at odds for some time but what exactly is their beef?

But realistically, with all the big guns looking to play doubles, I dont think any team would have had much chance.

More importantly, why is there such a dearth of emerging talent? I see no exciting prospects on the horizon.

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I am probably the worst person to answer this but I think generally, there's not too much money in sport. I don't see parents encouraging a sporting career when you could make much more money in a good job. Sports is like a lottery.

Even among sports, i think cricket will be the choice, not tennis (in India). Tennis is more a rich kid's sport and kids learn it more so they can play when they go abroad to study, or socially.

In my area, when Bhupathi's academy selected a 6-7 year old to go live/practice in Madras/Blore (or wherever it was), his parents refused. They would not part with their darling baby.

I think Yuki Bhambri is the only one on the horizon I've heard of, the Amritraj cousins are already in mid 20's. I suspect YB will also go the way of Bopanna.

We have diverted from the main drama that is still going on. Here's the summary

- After All India Tennis Association decided to team up Leander and Bhupathi for Olympic doubles, all hell broke loose. The doubles ranks of them are Leander:7, Boppana: 12 and Bhupathi:18.

- If you recall, last year in 2011 they were playing doubles together. Bhupathi accused that Leander had back stabbed him by not even discussing with him and breaking up their partnership in Nov'11 and partnered Radek Stepanek. Then he partnered Boppana to play Olympics with him.
He asked AITA to send two teams, Bhupathi & Boppana, Leander & No. 4 Indian

- Then Paes camp suggested that it was Bopanna and Bhupathi who actually back stabbed him. They released an email which says Bopanna wanted to play with Paes in 2012 for the Olympics. Boppana was supposed to tell Bhupathi about this and Paes didn't tell ???? When Bhupathi came to know, he was pissed off and then he and Boppana paired.
(Note: Who backstabbed whom )

- Next email came from Boppana to media. he said that he doesn't want to partner Paes. He broke up with Qureshi when he was No.8 in the world to play with Bhupathi.

- Mahesh also wrote a letter to Sports Ministry India to intervene. Because AITA and its chief for long is known to favor Paes.

- Then AITA wrote a letter to Sports ministry and they backed off. Now AITA will take the final decision today

Is Sania silent on this, or is she waiting for a WC in which case she can chose her own partner ?

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The 2006 row was who would partner Sania in mixed doubles in Doha Asian Games.
Bhupathi was close to Sania..and wanted that. But Leander being higher ranked pulled some strings and got himself selected as mixed doubles parter. They won silver.

Bhupathi and Paes played doubles with quarell at every matches. yet they won gold

Sania's preference would obviously be Bhupathi but she is unlikely to cause trouble and go on with what AITA says.

Not sure I'd fully blame MB - you can blame him for petty issues with Paes. But I find it difficult to believe that RB would chose to shoot himself in the foot by refusing to pair with Paes. It appears that there are serious issues with Paes, that make him generally unlikeable in Indian tennis circles (and beyond). Of course all of this is speculation, and the truth might be something else...

I don't think you can add up the numbers and get a better pair. Even if on paper, Paes and Bopanna make the best pair, they have to gell well to have a chance. All this talk of burying your differences aside and doing well for your country is good in theory -- in practice if they aren't even on speaking terms nothing much is going to happen.

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- Its true. Paes is known to be very dominating partner and thats one reason other Indian players hesitate.

- Bhupathi is closer to more players..his company is associated with them. Plus both he and Bopanna are from Bangalore.

Will pairing Mirza with Paes for mixed might persuade him to play the Olympics despite his previous threat to withdraw if he was paired in men's doubles with someone ranked so low. Mirza and Paes would have a decent shot to medal.

Bhupathi is commenting on this too that since he won FO MD, he should have Mirza. Appa the decision will be reviewed after the WO, and he is saying that if they aren't pairing him after winning FO, why will WO make a diff.

I think pairing LP with VV is a bit of a joke but i guess there's no option.

Will pairing Mirza with Paes for mixed might persuade him to play the Olympics despite his previous threat to withdraw if he was paired in men's doubles with someone ranked so low. Mirza and Paes would have a decent shot to medal.

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It seems from the papers that Paes said he will withdraw if MB and RB are paired and he is given a low ranked player. He would be okay if they are NOT sent and he is given a low ranked player.

Strangely, MB and RB are being portrayed as unpatriotic but its okay for LP to withdraw. The AITA certainly is putting out statements defending LP big-time saying he is hurt and emotional etc and we should not do anything to tarnish his image.

In a new twist to the crisis in Indian tennis, Somdev Devvarman, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, today said he is fit to partner Leander Paes in the Olympics if asked by the All India Tennis Association (AITA).

Amid the furore that has struck the game here, Somdev, who is in the Unites States after undergoing a shoulder surgery in January, said he is willing to partner Paes.

This article says Bops first approached Paes who agreed. Then suddenly Bops and Bhupathi got together.

In October, Rohan Bopanna approached Paes with a proposal to team up on the Tour in 2012 and play the Olympics together. Paes agreed with Bopanna in principle but neither had the gumption to break the news to Bhupathi. When Paes eventually informed Bhupathi of the new plan a month later, the latter exploded.

Within a few days, Bhupathi and Bopanna not only announced their partnership for 2012 via the media but also about their goal of playing the Olympics as a team.

People should be able to do what they want, as long as it is not criminal.

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Reading comprehension ? Or just woke up ?

Of course he did and can keep doing it all his life. Just reflects badly on him. Especially when he is accusing the other pair of not being patriotic and all that. It's called double standards, which is not criminal, but then you should understand double standards very well, no ?

Mirza on Olympics: "I was put up as bait'
Ticker - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

India's Sania Mirza, who was given an Olympic wild card in doubles, is furious with how she has been treated in the politicking between the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and male players Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. After Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna both refused to play with Paes, the AITA tried to placate Paes by guaranteeing he would play mixed doubles with Mirza if he consented to playing men's doubles with the inexperienced Vishnu Vardhan. Mirza just won the Roland Garros mixed with Bhupathi.

"As an Indian woman belonging to the 21st century, what I find disillusioning is the humiliating manner in which I was put up as a bait to try and pacify one of the disgruntled stalwarts of Indian tennis," she said in a statement. "While I feel honored and privileged to have been chosen to partner Leander Paes, the manner and timing of the announcement wreaks of male chauvinism where a two time Grand Slam champion, who has been India's number 1 women's tennis player for almost a decade in singles and doubles is offered in compensation to partner one of the feuding champions purely in order to lure him into accepting to play with a men's player he does not wish to play with! This kind of blatant humiliation of Indian womanhood needs to be condemned even if it comes from the highest controlling body of tennis in our country."

Mirza added that she is entitled to have her preferences, was upset with Paes' father for demeaning her, and with Bhupathi for "sacrificing the commitment he made to me to try and win an Olympic medal together for India.

"I have been fortunate to achieve a career best singles ranking of 27 in the world that has been only bettered by Vijay Amritraj (16) and Ramesh Krishnan (23) even amongst the men in the modern era," she added. "I have a career best doubles ranking of 7 in the world, which only Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have bettered. I am the only Grand Slam champion from India apart from Mahesh and Leander. I believe I can expect a little more respect from the National Tennis Federation than what has been accorded to me even if they did not think it necessary to send me a simple congratulatory message after I had won my second Grand Slam title three weeks ago. What is even more shocking is the manner in which facts have been misrepresented to the public at large to paint a totally wrong picture in an attempt to justify the breaking up of a team that won a second Grand Slam title only days earlier."

Mirza on Olympics: "I was put up as bait'
Ticker - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

India's Sania Mirza, who was given an Olympic wild card in doubles, is furious with how she has been treated in the politicking between the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and male players Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. After Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna both refused to play with Paes, the AITA tried to placate Paes by guaranteeing he would play mixed doubles with Mirza if he consented to playing men's doubles with the inexperienced Vishnu Vardhan. Mirza just won the Roland Garros mixed with Bhupathi.

"As an Indian woman belonging to the 21st century, what I find disillusioning is the humiliating manner in which I was put up as a bait to try and pacify one of the disgruntled stalwarts of Indian tennis," she said in a statement. "While I feel honored and privileged to have been chosen to partner Leander Paes, the manner and timing of the announcement wreaks of male chauvinism where a two time Grand Slam champion, who has been India's number 1 women's tennis player for almost a decade in singles and doubles is offered in compensation to partner one of the feuding champions purely in order to lure him into accepting to play with a men's player he does not wish to play with! This kind of blatant humiliation of Indian womanhood needs to be condemned even if it comes from the highest controlling body of tennis in our country."

Mirza added that she is entitled to have her preferences, was upset with Paes' father for demeaning her, and with Bhupathi for "sacrificing the commitment he made to me to try and win an Olympic medal together for India.

"I have been fortunate to achieve a career best singles ranking of 27 in the world that has been only bettered by Vijay Amritraj (16) and Ramesh Krishnan (23) even amongst the men in the modern era," she added. "I have a career best doubles ranking of 7 in the world, which only Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have bettered. I am the only Grand Slam champion from India apart from Mahesh and Leander. I believe I can expect a little more respect from the National Tennis Federation than what has been accorded to me even if they did not think it necessary to send me a simple congratulatory message after I had won my second Grand Slam title three weeks ago. What is even more shocking is the manner in which facts have been misrepresented to the public at large to paint a totally wrong picture in an attempt to justify the breaking up of a team that won a second Grand Slam title only days earlier."

I was shocked to see Sania's outburst in today's paper. Seems like she waited to get a WC and then spoke out. Anyway, without knowing the truth behind all this don't know if what she is doing is right, or is she being controlled by Bhupathi.

What does she mean by Bhupathi's commitment to win a medal with her. When has MB stated he won't partner with Sania for the mixed dubs ?

I was shocked to see Sania's outburst in today's paper. Seems like she waited to get a WC and then spoke out. Anyway, without knowing the truth behind all this don't know if what she is doing is right, or is she being controlled by Bhupathi.

What does she mean by Bhupathi's commitment to win a medal with her. When has MB stated he won't partner with Sania for the mixed dubs ?

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Yeah that was so partial. It's Bhupathi who started the whole ruckus...he called Paes a backstabber publicly. Yet its Paes who she blamed.

Yeah that was so partial. It's Bhupathi who started the whole ruckus...he called Paes a backstabber publicly. Yet its Paes who she blamed.

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It looks as if everyone is in Bhupathi's corner and Paes is all by himself. I think if Paes had not qualified directly for Olympics he would not have been given a WC and would have had to watch the Olympics on TV

Yeah that was so partial. It's Bhupathi who started the whole ruckus...he called Paes a backstabber publicly. Yet its Paes who she blamed.

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His only explanation for this is that Peas dumped him as a partner without telling him, or told him too late.

iirc, even Qureshi mentioned that Bopanna left him without a word, except that Qureshi did not create a stink about it and even hoped it would not spoil their friendship.

All this leave me with some loss of respect for the way these chaps have behaved. I suppose it will be on their minds when they land up at the village, and have to march together and maybe live nearby, or be in the locker room at the same time.

God forbid that they actually face one another in a match. If all this is being reported on tennis.com then it has really painted a sorry picture of our country.

His only explanation for this is that Peas dumped him as a partner without telling him, or told him too late.

iirc, even Qureshi mentioned that Bopanna left him without a word, except that Qureshi did not create a stink about it and even hoped it would not spoil their friendship.

All this leave me with some loss of respect for the way these chaps have behaved. I suppose it will be on their minds when they land up at the village, and have to march together and maybe live nearby, or be in the locker room at the same time.

God forbid that they actually face one another in a match. If all this is being reported on tennis.com then it has really painted a sorry picture of our country.

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Bops left the Qureshi to team up with Bhups and practice together for the Oly - can't blame him for that.

Nah - some silly squabbling tennis players are hardly representative of India. If anything, there are lots of other things that paint a sorrier picture of our country, and they are things that really do matter.

I was shocked to see Sania's outburst in today's paper. Seems like she waited to get a WC and then spoke out. Anyway, without knowing the truth behind all this don't know if what she is doing is right, or is she being controlled by Bhupathi.

What does she mean by Bhupathi's commitment to win a medal with her. When has MB stated he won't partner with Sania for the mixed dubs ?

His only explanation for this is that Peas dumped him as a partner without telling him, or told him too late.

iirc, even Qureshi mentioned that Bopanna left him without a word, except that Qureshi did not create a stink about it and even hoped it would not spoil their friendship.

All this leave me with some loss of respect for the way these chaps have behaved. I suppose it will be on their minds when they land up at the village, and have to march together and maybe live nearby, or be in the locker room at the same time.

God forbid that they actually face one another in a match. If all this is being reported on tennis.com then it has really painted a sorry picture of our country.

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Not really. It shows that people are concerned about women's rights and freedom of speech is alive and well. Always better to have difference of opinion than present a uniform image, which reeks of dictatorship.

Not really. It shows that people are concerned about women's rights and freedom of speech is alive and well. Always better to have difference of opinion than present a uniform image, which reeks of dictatorship.

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Oh wow! Linking freedom of speech with some tennis association. This is silly, unless you were just joking -- can never tell nowadays (with you)